The Indian men’s cricket team landed in Sri Lanka on Monday (July 22), and under the watchful eyes of new head coach Gautam Gambhir, Indian players attended their first practice session in Pallkele on Tuesday. The Indian team will face the hosts in a three-match T20I series here (Pallekele) and then travel to Colombo to play three ODIs at R. Premadasa Stadium on August 2, 4, and 7.
The T20I series against Sri Lanka is expected to be a hard-fought one for the new-look Indian team, which will play under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav. The former world No. 1 T20I batter was appointed as India’s captain after Rohit Sharma’s retirement. Rohit, along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, quit T20Is last month after India’s win in the T20 World Cup 2024 final.
In the legendary trio’s absence, India will field a relatively new side. Ahead of the start of the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka in Pallekele on Saturday (July 27), star Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana has fired a warning to Team India by saying that Sri Lanka is a good team with a lot of talent and potential, and the Islanders are looking forward to securing a series win over India.
According to him, a good result against the T20 World Cup champions could be a huge confidence booster for his side, which failed to qualify for the Super 8s of the T20 World Cup 2024.
“I think it will be a good challenge. India is coming with a new coach and some new players; their combination will be slightly different. But it will be a good challenge for us because they are world champions,” Pathirana was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
“We have a very good side and a lot of talent and potential. Unfortunately, we didn’t do well in the T20 World Cup. But if we can win this series, it will be a confidence booster for the next three years,” he added.
Pathirana is only 21 years old, but he has already made a big name for himself in international cricket. The right-arm pacer plays for CSK in the IPL and feels his stint in the IPL has played a big role in his development.
“After my under-19s, I was not in any squads in Sri Lanka. But since my debut for CSK, I got those chances and got selected for Sri Lanka’s main team. Playing for CSK is a gift from God for me. Until I played for CSK, not many people knew me. Sharing the dressing room with Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) is very special for youngsters like me, especially coming from Sri Lanka.”
Pathirana, who made his IPL debut in 2022, has 34 wickets to his name in 20 IPL matches played so far for the Chennai Super Kings.
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